More questions than answers on start date

Football League clubs have been told the dates that are under consideration for the start of the 2020/21 season.

But those dates – either August 29 or September 12 – could again lead to conflict as happened when clubs were asked to vote on the outcome of ending the past campaign.

While some clubs are eager to play as soon as possible, others will hope to hold off in the hope fans can return to watch and bring in much-needed income.

The majority of teams in the lower leagues have players furloughed and there remains the cost factor with having players and staff tested for Covid-19 twice weekly.

Representatives of League 1 clubs discussed a number of issues during a meeting last week. Topics such as crowd attendance and a future start date were high on the agenda.

A potential start date is currently being worked around the international break (September 5) which would leave the dates of August 29 or September 12. The season in normal circumstances would look to start in early August.

The earlier of the two dates would mean less midweek matches – nine instead of 11 – but the later start would see some teams’ preparations disrupted with players away on international duty for up to 10 days. The ability to have crowds in stadiums remains entirely down to government restrictions but it could be that attendances are restricted to a set percentage of capacity. Away fans may be barred initially.

Gillingham will look to have at least a six-week pre-season but manager Steve Evans believes they may need eight, given that they haven’t trained together since mid-March.

Evans said: “When we get back to work we go back to work. It will be double sessions, sometimes three sessions, and we will be ready, but they will love every minute of it because we will be playing football again.

“I can see it being eight weeks, we are normally a six and a half week pre-season management team, but I can see it being a few days longer than that.”